Your guide to Florida's outdoors, by Sandra Friend, Florida's hiking expert, and her co-author John Keatley, covering the Florida Trail and other trails throughout Florida.

Marianna

Best known as the location of Florida Caverns State Park, which offers Florida’s only show cave as well as excellent hiking and camping, Marianna is one of the larger communities in Florida’s Central Panhandle region along I-10 near the Alabama border. Nearby public lands offer places to explore outdoors.

Trails and Parks in Marianna

Angus Gholson Nature Park-Above the Apalachicola River, the community of Chattahoochee hides a natural treasure in its deep ravines—a park named for its native son, botanist Angus Gholson.

Baltzell Spring-Made up of liquid pools of beauty on the edge of Florida Caverns State Park, Baltzell Spring is a compelling destination for spring hunters along the Chipola River in Marianna.

Blue Springs Recreation Area-With a developed swimming area surrounding a first-magnitude spring, Blue Springs Recreation Area is a liquid playground in hues of blue, a broad open basin pouring forth a spring run with a dozen more major springs along its length.

Caverns Trail System-Most people come to see the stalactites and stalagmites at Florida’s only show cave. But the hiking’s even weirder at Florida Caverns State Park, home of Florida's only hiking trail through a cave.

Chattahoochee Nature Trails-Chattahoochee Nature Trails system treats hikers to an exploration of botanically-rich habitats along bluffs and ravines near the Apalachicola River and an archaeological site towering over the river's edge.

Econfina Nature Trail-On the Econfina Nature Trail, discover rugged climbs, steep drop-offs, bubbling springs, and deep crevices into the earth as you walk between two major springs where you can swim.

Falling Waters Sinkhole Trail-Iconic as the home of Florida’s tallest waterfall, Falling Waters State Park is a showcase for Florida geology just south of I-10 in Chipley. Follow the Sinkhole Trail to see the waterfall and some very deep sinkholes.

Falling Waters State Park-Geology is the focus of Falling Waters State Park, which sits atop a tall ridge. The cascade plunges more than 70 feet into a cylindrical sinkhole lined with ferns and mosses, and the observation platform is about a third of the way down.

Florida Caverns State Park-A dip into Florida’s only show cave at Florida Caverns State Park brings on an instant sense of cool. Opened in Marianna in the 1930s by the hardworking Civilian Conservation Corps, the tour route wraps through more than a dozen rooms with their own distinct and colorful landscapes.

Florida Trail, Altha-Following the sinuous route of Bauldree Branch before tracing the bluffs of the Chipola River upstream past the famed Look and Tremble rapids, the Altha section of the Florida Trail is a short but sweet break between roadwalks flanking Upper Chipola WMA.

Florida Trail, Econfina Creek-Surprisingly rugged and delightfully diverse, this 17.7 mile hike along Econfina Creek is one of the top segments of the Florida Trail for scenic beauty. Scrambling through ravines, stepping carefully along sidehill, and looking down over sheer bluffs along this spring-fed creek, you'll marvel that this hike is in Florida.

Garden of Eden Trail-Try one of Florida's toughest day hikes on for size: local legend has it this was the Garden of Eden, and from the lush forests and rare flora along this trek, they might be on to something

Merritt’s Mill Pond-Fed by first-magnitude Jackson Blue Spring and nearly a dozen smaller springs, Merritt's Mill Pond is a waterway unlike any other in Florida, its unusual hues trapped between rocky slopes and edged with moss-draped cypress trees.

Spring Creek Park-At Spring Creek Park in Marianna, a gentle boardwalk leads down to views along the crystalline waters of Spring Creek.

Spring hopping around Tallahassee-Between Madison and Marianna and across Wakulla County, explore a colorful collection of natural springs for swimming and snorkeling, all within an hour of Tallahassee.

Three Rivers Lakeview Trail-The Lakeview and Ridge Trails at Three Rivers State Park form a 2 mile loop through a shady hardwood forest on the shores of Lake Seminole, a reservoir formed at the confluence of the rivers that create the Apalachicola River.

Three Rivers State Park-Hugging the state line with Georgia at Lake Seminole - the reservoir created by the dam where the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers form the Apalachicola - Three Rivers State Park is a prime getaway for anglers.

Torreya Hiking Trail-One of the most rugged hikes in Florida, the Torreya Hiking Trail treats you to an scenic landscape of bluffs and ravines to 300 feet above the Apalachicola River.

Torreya State Park-Perched on a high bluff above the Apalachicola River, Torreya State Park is one of Florida’s original state parks developed by the Civilian Conservations Corps in the 1930s. It's a destination that fulfills many interests, with botanical wonders, geologic anomolies, and historic sites including earthworks from the Civil War and the Gregory House, a plantation home from 1849.

Weeping Ridge Trail-One of the lesser-heralded delights of Torreya State Park is the Weeping Ridge Trail, which leads to a 25-foot-tall waterfall splashing off the ridge